882.74/49: Telegram

Mr. Harvey S. Firestone, Jr., to the Chief of the Division of Western European Affairs (Marriner)

President King authorized Hines send me following statement outlining position Liberian Government on radio:46

“The Liberian Government considers direct communication via wireless with the United States and Liberia of paramount importance to its national interest[s] and to the continuance of the traditional friendship between the two countries.

The Government recognizes the importance of radio [communication] in the efficient and economical operation of the Firestone development here and following out its policy and agreement to assume [assist] and encourage this America[n] enterprise, is agreeable to granting a public utility radio license to Firestone [on terms already discussed with their representative here], but in doing so also feels that in behalf of its national interest[s] and as a guarantee of continuous and uninterrupted service, as well as to care for the [rapidly] increasing volume of traffic due to the big development of American interest[s] in the country, that Liberia needs and should have more than one radio public utility origin [system] of communication between the two countries.

The Government hopes that its position in this matter will be brought to the attention of the authorities in control of radio communication in America and that consideration will be given to it.”

Harvey S. Firestone, Jr.
  1. This slightly garbled text of the statement of Liberian Governments position has been corrected after comparison with the text of the statement as cabled by President King direct to Harvey Firestone, Jr., on July 30, 1928, and received in Akron, Ohio, on August 1, 1928 (file No. 882.74/54).